Support for highway poles



1965 H. PFAFF, JR., ETAL 3,210,899

SUPPORT FOR HIGHWAY POLES Filed Dec. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5

INVENTORS HENRY C.PFAFF. JR. ANDBYFRANGIS r SCHLOSSER ATTORN EY Oct. 12, 1965 PF F R. ETAL 3,210,899

SUPPORT FOR HIGHWAY POLES Filed Dec. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

INVENTO HENRY C. PFAFF. ANDBQ RANCiS 1. SCHLOSSER United States Patent 3,210,899 SUPPORT FOR HIGHWAY POLES Henry C. Pfatf, .Ir., Summit, and Francis G. Schlosser, Ridgefield Park, N.J., assignors to Pfaif and Kendall, Newark, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 14, 1962, Ser, No. 244,660 12 Claims. (Cl. 52292) This invention relates to a support for highway poles, which may be manufactured as a complete unit for ready installation in situ where desired, along highways, streets and other vehicular paths, and wherein a separable transformer base is provided in an arrangement such that the pole may be elevated from the base and the latter removed for repair or replacement from time to time if desired. The transformer base, which is the lowest point of the assembly and thus the most frequently damaged in use, may be replaced in the field without use of cranes, trucks, or other special equipment. When, as in conventional poles, damage to the transformer base, as by vehicular impact, is transmitted directly to the pole, the latter is thus rendered useless or knocked down; a substantial safety hazard thus ensues; also traffic lanes must usually then be closed, with resultant loss of time and snarling of trafiie. These disadvantages are obviated by the present invention, wherein, when the transformer base is damaged, the pole is not rendered useless, but continues to function, may be readily elevated clear of the transformer base, and the latter may then be readily repaired or replaced. The highway pole embodying the present invention will not have been rendered useless as a result of impact to the installation and will continue to accurately function.

The drawings, illustrating procedures and devices useful in carrying out the invention, and the description below, are exemplary only of the invention, which shall be deemed to cover all other devices and procedures coming within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts:

' FIG. 1 is a plan view of a transformer base which may be used'in carrying out the invention, taken at line 11 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof, taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 3 is a partly fragmentary, side elevational view of a transformer base, shoe base and pole embodying the invention,

FIG. 4 is a vertical elevational view, partly sectional, taken at line 44 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partly fragmentary view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a partly fragmentary elevational view of a shoe base and pole assembled thereon, embodying the invention,

FIG. 7 is a partly fragmentary plan view, taken at line 77 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 8 is a perspective, partly fragmentary view of a transformer base which may be used in carrying out the invention,

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of the shoe base and pole shown assembled in dotted lines in the FIG. 3 position and in full lines, the shoe base and pole being shown elevated clear of the transformer base, and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of bracket and bolt means which may be used for holding the transformer base sections assembled.

As shown in the drawings, the device of this invention is designed for securing a pole (FIG. 3) to a highway 3,210,899 Patented Oct. 12, 1965 surface 16 (FIG. 8) the latter having bolt means 17 extending upwardly therefrom in the plane desired for the pole 15, customarily a true plumb line. The pole 15 is secured, as by welding at 18 (FIGS. 6 and 9) to the shoe base 19; the transformer base 20 is positioned on the surface 16 and over the bolt means 17 which extend therethrough and beyond and into the shoe base 19, from which as above noted, highway pole 15 extends upwardly. The bolt means 17 (FIG. 9) may be threaded, threaded members 21, 22 then engaging said bolt means and web portions 23 formed in the shoe base 19, having apertures 24 through which the bolt means 17 pass. Part 21 is a jacking nut and has a cylindrical machined top with nut configuration on bottom so that the cylindrical portion will pass through the transformer base slots 44 (FIG. 8) and press against bottom of the shoe base and raise it when the upper nut 22 is released. Part 21 acts as a jack when rotated on anchor bolt 17 and raises shoe base 19 and the pole 15. Part 22 is a nut member which looks the parts (FIG. 9). An anti-friction bearing washer 21' is positioned atop part 21. Thus upon rotation of threaded members 21, 22 on bolt means 17 in one direction, shoe base 19 (and thereby pole 15) may be moved from a line or point such as 25 (FIG. 9) which may be visualized as the top of a transformer base, to the full line position shown in said figure. Such elevation may be achieved readily by use of simple tools where, for example, the transformer base 20 has been damaged and it is desired to repair or replace the same. After the Itranstformer base has been repaired or replaced, the threaded members 21, 22 may be moved in the other direction, restoring the shoe base 19 (and pole 15) to their dotted line (FIG. 9) position atop the transformer base 20 as shown in FIG. 3.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that when a transformer base 20 is damaged, shoe base 19 may be elevated (FIG. 9 full lines) above the transformer base and the latter may be readily removed for repair or replacement.

The transformer base may be made of two or more sections 26, 27 (FIG. 8) separably connected, as by bracket means 28 (FIG. 10) engageable with ribs 29, 30 formed on the transformer base sections; bolt and nut means 31, 32 may engage the bracket means 28 to hold the sections 26, 27 assembled. Other assembly means to the same end may be used if desired. Complementary registration means 33, 34 (FIG. 5) may be provided for alignment of the sections 26, 27 of the transformer base. Complementary registration means such as projections and recess therefor 35, 36 (FIGS. 7, 8 and 1) may be provided on the transformer base and the shoe base for further alignment thereof on assembly. The shoe base may be provided with inwardly extending pockets 37 whose inner ends are defined by the web portions 23, the outer ends of the pocket being provided with recessed portions 38 into which the closure plates 40 may be force fitted.

Access to the interior of the transformer base 20 may be readily had by the provision of handhole openings 43 in the transformer base 20; the handhole openings 43 may be closed by suitable complementary door members (not shown). The openings 43 obviate the necessity for providing a handhole in the pole 15, which would weaken the latter; also access to the interior of the transformer base is made available for the location and storage of splices, fuses, transformers and other accessories.

The sequence of operation in the replacement of the transformer base in the field is to remove the closure plates 40 and move the members 21, 22 in the direction to elevate the shoe base from the dotted line position of FIG. 9 to the full line position thereof. In practice, the

shoe base need be elevated only a short distance (for example, a half inch) to achieve replacement of the transformer base. The brackets 28 are removed and, the shoe base 19 being elevated, the damaged transformer base may be broken for removal, where it is unitary, or the sections removed, where sectional, and a new transformer base is installed. The brackets 28 are then again assembled on the transformer base sections, the shoe base 19 is lowered, the closure plates 40 replaced, and the doors closing the handhole openings 43 replaced.

The closure plates 40 are originally force fitted and must be destroyed to be removed. Hence the device is vandal proof; new plates 40 must be installed after removal of the original ones.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface having bolt means extended upwardly therefrom, said support comprising a transformer base to be positioned on said surface and over the bolt means, with the bolt means extending therethrough and therebeyond, and a shoe base adapted to be secured to the highway pole and to have the pole extending upwardly therefrom, said shoe base adapted to be positioned on the transformer base, connection means on the bolt means extending into the shoe base for engaging said shoe base jacking means on said bolt means below said shoe base and in engagement therewith to selectively move the shoe base and pole away from the transformer base to elevate the same so that the transformer base may be removed, repaired and replaced, and to lower said shoe base and pole toward said transformer base.

2. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 1, said connection means on the bolt means comprising a threaded nut, and a web member in said shoe base, said web member having an apertured portion through which the bolt means may pass, said nut resting on the top of said web member.

3. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 2, said bolt means being threaded, and said jacking means comprising a jack nut and a washer thereabove, said washer being in engagement with the bottom of said web portion of the shoe base to move the shoe base and pole toward and away from the transformer base and surface.

4. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 1, said shoe base being provided with inwardly opening pockets and apertured web portions in the inner end of said pockets through which said bolt means pass.

5. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 4, cover means engaging the pockets and closing the same.

6. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 1, said transformer base being formed of separable section and retainer means engaging said separable sections for holding them in assembled relation while enabling them to be readily disassembled for removal and replacement.

7. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 1, complementary registration means on the shoe base and transformer base for aligning them on assembly.

8. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 6, ribs extending from said sections internally thereof, said retainer means engaging said ribs for so holding said sections assembled.

9. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 6, complementary registration means on the separable sections for aligning them on assembly.

10. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 8, said retainer means comprising separable bracket means engaging said ribs and means engaging said bracket means for drawing them together and thereby drawing the ribs together, to close said sections.

11. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 4, said pockets being provided with marginal recesses and closure discs for said marginal recesses to close said pockets.

12. In a support for movably securing a highway pole to a surface as set forth in claim 1, said transformer base being provided with an opening for access to the interior thereof and closure means engageable with said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,549,428 8/25 Barrick 189-23 1,776,682 9/30 King 189-23 2,881,876 4/59 Williams 80 X RICHARD W. COOKE, 111., Primary Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORT FOR MOVABLY SECURING A HIGHWAY POLE TO A SURFACE HAVING BOLT MEANS EXTENDED UPWARDLY THEREFROM, SAND SUPPORT COMPRISING A TRNASFORMER BASE TO BE POSITIONED ON SAID SURFACE AND OVER THE BOLT MEANS, WITH THE BOLT MEANS EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND THEREBEYOND, AND A SHOE BASDE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE HIGHWAY POLE AND TO HAVE THE POLE EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID SHOE BASE ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ON THE TRANSFORMER BASE, CONNECTION MEANS ON THE BOLT MEANS EXTENDING INTO THE SHOE BASE FOR ENGAGING SAID SHOE BASE JACKING MEAN ON SAID BOLT BELOW SAID SHOE BASE AND IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH TO SELECTIVELY MOVE THE SHOE BASE AND POLE AWAY FROM THE TRANSFORMER BASE TO ELEVATE THE SAME SO THAT THE TRANSFORMER BASE MAY BE REMOVED, REPAIRED AND REPLACED, AND TO LOWER SAID SHOE BASE AND POLE TOWARD SAID TRANSFORMER BASE. 